


Dovahkiin

by TrippinOverMyFandoms



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst, Crossover, Elder Scrolls - Freeform, F/M, Skyrim - Freeform, but it was less cliche than hiccup being the sole dragonborn, good cousin snotlout, half blood hiccup, hiccup pov, i havent figured it out yet, im sorry, im trying to work toothless into this, six dragonborn, thats too many, third person, yet another wip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-08-14 06:49:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20188054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrippinOverMyFandoms/pseuds/TrippinOverMyFandoms
Summary: It was prophesied long ago that a great hero known as the Dragonborn would one day rise up and conquer the great dragon Alduin. No one was expecting it to be now and they certainly weren't expecting there to be six of them.Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs have grown up in different parts of Skyrim and have all been friends for years. None are particularly note worthy but all six are working hard to achieve separate dreams. Life would eventually separate them, keeping them in their individual hometowns. But life has a funny way of doing things. Even if that's bringing them all together again, squabbling in the middle of a snow storm on the top of the highest mountain in Skyrim over who really is the Dragonborn.





	1. Unbound

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ!!  
I know I have various docs I need to complete and I know I was gonna finish the umbrella academy fic since I have it all laid out but pretty much all of my ongoing stories deal with really sad and hard stuff. Normally that's my forte. Lots of angst dealing with real life issues I've dealt with in someway or another or watched people go through and usually I use those as my outlet to work through my problems. Unfortunately life has been just shit for me and I'm tired of being sad. Nothing I seem to do really helps to right now I'm going to try and focus on this story since I can't stop thinking about httyd or skyrim and this idea has been bugging me for a while. So here we go. 
> 
> You don't have to have seen httyd or played skyrim to understand this. I tend to over explain even in established universes.
> 
> What I am going to say before I get further in is that be patient with me. Also I write a lot on my phone and hardly ever go back to proof read. These stories are for me and to work in a creative outlet not something I'm going to stress over perfecting. If you'd like to beta please offer!! I take constructive criticism but there's no need to post long ass comments detailing where I've messed up. Thanks.
> 
> Now on with the story-
> 
> Currently rated T but has language and violence. Let me know if I need to change the rating.

Hiccup awoke with a pounding headache, blurry vision, and sounds he couldn't quite yet identify. 

He squeezed his eyelids shut not long after he had blinked them open, the morning light being far too much for his aching head. At least he thought it was morning. What he managed to see led him to believe it was early. Though he was sure it had been evening before he passed out. Actually, now that he got to thinking, what the hell had happened?

Trying to recall previous events made his head pound more and he found that when he rose a hand to his temple to soothe the pain that both hands came together. Odd, he thought. The rough feeling against his wrist told him his hands were bound together. 

Oh gods what the hell had he done the previous night. He usually stayed out of trouble but he still couldn't quite recall what happened and there's no telling what mischief he had gotten into. Sovenguard forbid he ran into the twins. He could already picture the scene. He and the Thorstons being hauled off to some jail for whatever mayhem they had convinced him to go along with, after liquoring him up well before hand.

"You're finally awake," Comes a voice he doesn't recognize that seems way too loud. He either had a concussion or he was horribly hungover. Unfortunately, whoever it is continues, "fell into that Imperial trap? Just like us?" 

Oh, now he remembered. He had been on the road to Windhelm to see Astrid. He walked because it was hard to keep horses alive in the frigid coast of Dawnstar so maybe that was the first flaw. Being on foot made him more vulnerable and slower. But he was determined to visit one of his oldest friends who also happened to be the girl he was madly in love with. With the war going on they hadn't seen each other much but had kept up writing to one another. Recently they had both agreed it was time to meet again and he decided to go to her. 

She could have gone to him or they could have met in the middle but Hiccup brought up that he would just go to her. He remembered in some of her letters how she had complained about how busy she was, training to better her fighting skills so she could rise in ranks as a Stormcloak. That and Hiccup was itching to get out of the little town. So he had been on his way to Windhelm. 

Unfortunately things didn't go to plan and instead he walked right into an Imperial trap. 

Which meant that he was probably being hauled off to an execution. 

When he opened his eyes again he was met with the sight of a small town he didn't recognize. Hiccup didn't realize how much time had passed as he tried to remember the events of the previous day. He knew the other people in the cart with him continued to chatter but he didn't care. He didn't know them. Now that he had his eyes open and his headache managed he was able to take in that there were actually three others with him. Two across from him, one a Stormcloak soldier and another being some man in rags. Now he wished he was listening because he was curious about the man's story. Probably just some criminal though. 

The third person was seated to his right and Hiccup was actually surprised when he set eyes on him. Ulfric Stormcloak himself, tied and gagged like some common thief. Astrid would kill just to just catch a glimpse of him and she worked hard every day to impress a man who probably didn't even know she existed but here he was bound right next to the Jarl who had caused to much mayhem. Part of him actually felt guilty.

There wasn't much time for it since the cart came to a sudden halt and a look at the towns center confirmed that this, in fact, was an execution. He was still reeling from his dazed state that he was the last to exit the cart, shaky legs just barely able to hold him upright. 

Suddenly, the ragged man who had been in the cart with him bolts and yells like he's going to go down in some blaze of glory, praying to literally all the gods as he tries to make it down the town's path only to have some guard shoot him down. It was quite lame actually. Hiccup had casted a glance at the guard and he seemed quite bored of the whole thing. Sheesh. 

"You there," great, someone else was speaking to him, "step forward." And of course Hiccup obeys. What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't just run like the other man. He'd be shot down. Or maybe worse. 

He clears his throat before he speaks, "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. I'm a Nord, from Dawnstar." It doesn't help though, his throat is still dry and scratchy. He hears the guard who spoke to him mention something about not being on the list and he wonders what the purpose of that even was. It was a trap right? Had they been expecting to capture certain people?

Whatever the case, he's snapped out of his musings when he hears an extremely familiar voice shout, "What the hell is taking so long?" And Hiccup turns to look so quickly in the direction it came from he's sure he's added whiplash on top of everything else. 

Sure enough, standing with the other prisoners and a few other Imperial guards, is none other than Snotlout. He wants to protest, explain that he and Snotlout are related and that he should be let go but he's being ushered to his death. 

It's like a punch in the gut. He sees the man before him get beheaded and it's disgusting, the head rolling away and blood already getting everywhere. He wants to vomit and for him to wake up from whatever horrific nightmare he's having. 

Hiccup nearly looses his breath when someone shoves him towards the chopping block and he comes to reality that this is it. That he is going to die. His breathing comes in quick gasps as he's forced downward onto his knees and his view of the sky which appears to peaceful in the advancing morning light seems to just kick him. 

He shuts his eyes at the raise of the axe and his whole body tenses and then everything happens all at once.

The ground shakes and the sky goes dark and when he opens his eyes in shock there's a big dark dragon perched on a tower and looming over the scene. He shouts and the sky erupts and the dragon flys upward to continue the destruction. 

He's being hauled to his feet by Snotlout and Hiccup really wishes his hands weren't bound so he could hit the guy. 

"You were seriously going to let me get fucking beheaded?" He shouts, he decides to attempt to kick the other in retaliation, that much he can do. Snotlout looks as equally shocked by the dragon but he also seems - remorseful? Maybe if the dragon hadn't shown up Snotlout would have said something at the last minute. Or maybe he would have let him die and been regretful for the rest of his life. 

Regardless, he was at least cutting him free. "Yeah I know, dumb move." Snotlout mutters, pocketing the knife he had drawn to set Hiccup free. "Come on. If you want to continue to cheat death we need to go this way." 

Hiccup doesn't question as he follows behind the other. 

They dodge and weave between destroyed houses and burning structures. Hiccup trips at some point and and is faced with the image of someone beating eaten by the dragon and he knows he'll be seeing that in his dreams for the rest of his life. He also knows he needs to move but he's in such a state of shock he's frozen and he's lost sight of Snotlout. He beings to panic but once again he's being hauled to his feet though this time by the imperial who had questioned his identity earlier. "Go!" He tells him and Hiccup obeys him for the second time that morning. Once he's on his feet he spots Snotlout who's waiting for him by the door of a building that isn't quite as destroyed as the rest yet. 

He runs as fast as his legs can carry him, the heat from a blast of fire set by the dragon hot on his heels as he just barely manages to make it inside. 

Snotlout claps in on the back like he's completed some great feat in battle but instead Hiccup doubles over and vomits. Weirdly enough it helps ease the pounding in his head but does nothing to help how shaky he is and now his dry mouth has the worst taste left in it. He makes himself stand upright and braces himself against the closest wall. 

"Holy shit." He says with a cough, wiping the corner of his mouth. Snotlout nods and throws him an axe that Hiccup assumes came from the dead body at the other's feet. Luckily he catches it without much flaw. 

"You know an axe is Astrid's weapon of choice not mine." Hiccup says as an attempt at humor, ignoring the fact it was a one handed and actually Snotlout's choice whereas a two handed would be Astrid's.

"You still seeing her?" Snotlout asks and Hiccup nods. There's no time to go into much more detail because two Stormcloaks charge in on them and Hiccup is almost amazed at how expertly Snotlout kills his attacker. The last time he had seen him he could barely wield a weapon properly and how he moved as if he was born with one in his hand (which he had always claimed and now Hiccup supposed if could be true). And Hiccup could handle watching someone die like this. It wasn't rare, sparing accidents happened all the time. But he rarely witnessed executions and had never seen a man eaten by a dragon before. 

Once again he has no time to dwell because he realizes that Snotlout only killed one, the other rushed him. Hiccup swung the axe as hard as he could and managed to embed the blade in his attacker's stomach. He pulled backwards, stumbling as he did, and the man fell to the floor. It was the first blood he had shed that wasn't a farm animal. 

Then Snotlout was moving again which was good because he wasn't given the chance to dwell. So Hiccup follows close behind, once he's caught up of course. 

The tunnel they try to pass through is caved in by the dragon so they're forced to take the long way. The next room is something like a kitchen and Hiccup allows Snotlout to deal with the two stragglers inside. He hangs back and goes for the wine he spots on a shelf and takes the opportunity to take a large swig that would make his father proud, just to get rid of the taste in his mouth from earlier. He hears Snotlout whistle and turns his head to see him make a "give it here" motion with his hand so Hiccup corks the bottle and throws it towards the other. Once he's had his swig the two continue on, surprising unhindered, through a torture chamber and down to a secret cavern type space. 

"So you're really going around calling yourself a Nord?" Snotlout questions as they make their way through the cavern, "how does good ol' aunt Val feel about that one?" Hiccup rolls his eyes. He really had no good explanation for earlier when he declared his title. 

Though it was true he was a Nord, he was only half one. He was also half Imperial. His father, Stoick, was a pure blooded Nord. As hefty, strong, and stubborn as the came. His mother, Valka, was born and raised Imperial but if you didn't know that you could mistake her for a Nord. She was the sister of Snotlout's father which made the two cousins. Before hand, no one would have batted an eye at an Imperial and a Nord leaving their home cities to a small frozen town to raise their son but now anytime Hiccup even mentioned having parents of two different origins, especially the two races who were currently at war, everyone lost their minds. 

"Does it matter? Though maybe I should have said Imperial and I wouldn't be in this mess." He kick a rock and instantly regrets it when he hears the growl echo off the cavern walls. It didn't take a genius to identify that as a bear. Great. 

From there on the two where as quiet as possible, not even daring to breath loud let alone continue their conversation. Somehow they must have missed it because they eventually reached the exit and Hiccup hadn't seen a bear. Maybe they imagined it. Maybe it was just the dragon or their shocked minds playing a trick on them. Hell, maybe the rock hit something and made it sound like there was a bear. 

They both shared a look that seemed to question the existence of the bear once they were outside. It was short lived when the dragon flew over causing the ground to rumble just slightly.

"Look as much as I'd like to continue this reunion you need to get to Whiterun and warn them about the dragon." Snotlout says, gaze following the direction where the dragon had flown off into.

"Where will you go? Why can't you come?" Hiccup questions and Snotlout nearly cuts him off, apparently already having his answer ready. "I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what happened here. We need to spread the word quick that there's more threat than just the war. 

Hiccup could barely protest them splitting up before Snotlout was already headed down the road in the direction of his home city.


	2. - Posters -

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Posters I made for the story. At the moment there are only three. I've posted the two main ones here. Check out my tumblr : trippin-over-my-fandoms : for more like this and any aesthetics I make for the characters and chapters.

I used PSD #262 by Evey-V on Deviant Art and Photopea for the rest.

Both the PSD and program are free to use


	3. Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup makes it to Whiterun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this has blown up already!! I've gotten so much feed back already from both here and on tumblr and I'm so happy you're all enjoying it so much already!

A dragon! Hiccup almost couldn't believe it. If he hadn't been there, hadn't felt the heat of the beast's fire or hadn't been almost eaten by the thing, he probably wouldn't believe it. Dragons were old tales told by fires and woven into stories for children. Most even believed they never existed. 

Hiccup wasn't sure he stood on belief or disbelief before Helgen. He had learned later as he passed through Riverwood, a small town he actually knew well, that that was the name of the place destroyed by the dragon. 

He knew his mother believed in dragons, Hiccup could recall countless stories of great warriors who had them at their sides and settled Skyrim itself with the help of the great god Akatosh. His father didn't believe in them. Or at least he didn't seem to. His father tended to be very vocal about things and others he was quite private about. 

Hiccup was shaking as he walked the road to Whiterun. He knew he should have stopped in Riverwood, stayed a night at the inn an had a drink at least. But the dragon attack was real no matter how much he wished it wasn't and he had decided there shouldn't be haste in warning others of the danger. 

Even as night dawned and the wolves howled he kept on because just down the hill was the city. He had only been once in his lifetime that he could remember and he hoped they'd let him in. Trust him enough at least to take his word for it. 

His legs could barely carry him another step. Just as he made it to the bridge that connected the road to the area around the city and the path to Riverwood he fell. He didn't want to rest, convinced he had to keep going, but his body was forcing himself to stop. 

Hiccup didn't sleep but he at least took cover just underneath the bridge, out of easy reach of wolves or bandits. There was no way he could sleep, anytime he blinked he saw the blood and destruction. So he waited there until the sun began to rise again.

Gods his parents must be worried. Astrid must be worried. He wondered how far Snotlout had made it and if he was already at Solitude. There was a chance his cousin had made it to one of the Imperial camps and taken a horse. It was much faster than being on foot so he could already be at least over half way there by now. Maybe. 

Hiccup wished he had a horse. He had ridden a few times whenever he visited Snotlout as a kid and the older boy had even taught him how to ride. He wasn't exactly the best cousin in the world but he was family. But if he had a horse right now he'd ride to the city and tell of the dragon and then leave to Dawnstar, collect his parents and take them to Windhelm where they would be safe. Dawnstar didn't have walls and even during the beginning of the war they weren't concerned about it, the city being so small it was often forgotten about, but a dragon was a bigger threat that could easily wipe out a little place like that. 

Eventually the sky turned from a dark blue to a purple to a pink and Hiccup knew it was time to continue. He had at least caught his breath and had just enough energy to make it to the city. He hoped anyway. 

He trudged along, past farms and city guards who didn't bat an eye at him. He thought that was odd since he was sure he looked like a mess but maybe they were used to seemed disgruntled travelers. Whiterun was in the center of everything so it's possible it had a lot of people pass through. 

He couldn't help but chuckle to himself when he spotted the stable that sat outside the walls. Oh how ironic, he thought. Moments ago he had been wishing for a horse and the whole time there had been a stable not far from his resting place. A lot of good it would do him now though.

When he finally made it to the gates and spotted them shut tight he let out a frustrated sigh. "The gods must hate me." He mumbles and approaches the two guards who stand watch. 

"Halt," one starts and Hiccup rolls his eyes, "the cities closed with dragons about. Official business only." And Hiccup does a double take. If they already knew about the dragon then why the hell was he here? Oh right, he had actually listened to Snotlout. He blamed it all on shock that he actually followed through with the dumb plan. Of course they would know, the dragon probably flew right over the city. 

"That's why I'm here actually." He attempts, gesturing to his disheveled state and hoping that was enough for them. The guards share a look before the other one spoke, "go ahead." And let him pass through the gates.

Idiots, Hiccup thinks. They really had idiots guarding their walls. All brawn and no brain. He could have been lying for all they knew and actually been a thief there to rob them blind and they would have believed him. Luckily for them he wasn't lying. 

As soon as he entered everyone seemed to stare at him. He was sure that with the lock down the citizens were suspicious to the stranger that had just walked in. At least they're smart enough to be curious. They don't bother him though. He's just let on to walk by everything straight up to castle. He also wondered partly if it was because of his appearance. Only just now he felt self conscious about it and a look down at his clothing told him he looked as bad as he felt. His tunic was ripped in places a long the sleeves and his pants had a hole that exposed a scraped up knee and his boots were caked in dried mud. Even his hands were cut and bruised. He could still see where his bindings had cut into his wrists. He could only imagine what his hair looked like.

Needless to say he felt very out of place when he stepped into Dragonsreach. He could hear voices just up the steps, it seemed as if he were crashing some sort of debate. He walked up the steps one at a time, going slower to catch his breath from the hike from the gates to the castle and to maybe wait out some of the conversation so he didn't interrupt. 

Immediately he was approached by a dark elf woman with her sword drawn and his fight or flight kicked in. He was prepared to run but he also recoiled to protect himself. One foot went down a step while the other stayed at the top of the stairs, making the woman even taller than him. He stood at six foot one inch but she was somehow taller. He supposed maybe it was her race. He wasn't sure since he had never met a dark elf in person. 

"What's the meaning of this interruption?" Her words are as hostile as her posture and she looked ready to end him right there on the step and be done with it, "Jarl Balgruuf is not receiving any visitors."

Hiccup gulps and for some reason he feels guilty under her gaze. He's done nothing wrong but he might as well have broken every law in Tamriel and Morrowind just by entering the castle. 

"Explain yourself!" She snaps when he takes too long to answer and he about falls down the steps. He's left with his mouth gaping open like a fish and then, "What is going on Irileth?" Comes a voice he's assuming his the Jarl's.

Hiccup clears his voice and tries to speak loud enough so the man can hear him from across the room. "I'm here about the dragon sir. The one that destroyed Helgen."

"Come here." Returns the voice and the woman, Irileth, steps aside. Hiccup climbs the remaining steps and crosses the hall to where the Jarl sat on his throne. The man next to him seemed very suspicious of him.

"So you were at Helgen? You saw this dragon with your own eyes?" The Jarl says and Hiccup nods. He feels like a child in the man's presence and he's not sure if he should bow or something. The Jarl seems to think over something before adding, "Well you certainly look like you've experienced a dragon attack." And Hiccup isn't sure if he should take offense to it or not. At least they believe him. So far.

"The dragon is headed for Whiterun. I was sent to warn you of the danger." He felt dumb delivering the message but he did it anyways. 

"Than that means Irileth was right." The Jarl says. Hiccup dared a glance at the woman and she seems proud at her correct guess being confirmed. The man at the Jarl's side seems to believe otherwise.

Finally he puts his thoughts into the conversation, "But the dragon could be lurking in the mountains. I say we dispatch troops to Riverwood since it will be in the most immediate danger."

"But I saw the dragon! He flew right over the mountains off to who knows where." Hiccup challenges. The second half doesn't quite help his argument but it was right. The dragon may be long gone by now. 

"My Jarl-" Irileth begins but is suddenly cut off by the doors of the building being thrown open quite dramatically and a guard comes rushing in, looking as if he's seen the worst like Hiccup had. 

He runs up the stairs and straight to the the group. "Dragon! The western watchtower... completely destroyed." He pants. 

"We have to do something at once!" Irileth declares. The Jarl furrows his brow as he ponders what to do next and Hiccup waits with baited breath. A dragon. The dragon. The same one from earlier. Couldn't it just leave him alone? 

"Lead a troop to the tower." The Jarl commands of her. Hiccup is almost horrified when he then looks to him. "You've had the most experience with dragons here boy. I don't want to ask too much of you but will you help my men?" 

He had just gotten free of a dragon attack and now they wanted him to go fight one? These people had to be crazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Bleakfalls Barrow actually comes after Before The Storm instead of Dragon Rising but the story flowed better if I mixed things up a bit.   
I also mixed around some dialogue too so it's not going to be like playing through the game but in Hiccup's eyes, this is only still the set up. 
> 
> I'm going to hopefully bring Astrid into things very soon! 
> 
> Again- thank you all so much for all the support and praise in the first twenty-four hours of this fic's life!


	4. Dragon Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup fights the dragon at the western watchtower.

The armor they gave him weighed heavy on Hiccup's shoulders but oddly enough he felt protected. He had never worn armor before and the weight almost came as a shock to him but it felt secure. He wasn't even sure if it was the best type of armor out there, he had seen fancier before and knew there were lots of types out there but the guard armor he had on felt good. They had outfitted him in the typical Whiterun guard's armor which mostly consisted of chainmail. It clanked and made a lot of noise but he figured that was inevitable with something made of metal. 

Hiccup could barely believe he said yes to helping with the dragon at all. After everything he had been through at Helgen and just getting to Whiterun had worn him out. He blamed it on sleep deprivation and the chance at being heroic. 

Because as he marched along with the other guards, the helmet they have him barely fitting his head, to what could possibly his death (because he was convinced he could only get that lucky once and he already had at Helgen) he stripped everything down and had to be honest with himself. 

Why even was he going to risk his life and fight a dragon?

Because lives were at stake and he could do something about it. He could he a hero. Back in Dawnstar, Hiccup didn't have many of those opportunities. He spent most of his days trying not to give into the cold and when he wasn't on land he was on a fishing boat with his best friend, Eret. Things like this didn't come along often. For years he was fed stories from his parents and drinkards at the inn who told of great heroic deeds big and small that others or themselves had done. 

Hiccup wanted to prove himself so there he was getting ready to fight the dragon.

Irileth gave some sort of speech he didn't find quite inspiring. He didn't think it really spurred much confidence to fight something that could eat you whole but he also didn't know what he would say instead. 

As they approached the tower he could see it was in ruins- the dragon had already done a number on the structure and it looked as if everyone there before hand had died and the few left alive were too terrified to leave the ruins of the tower. 

Hiccup, continuing to act on the spur to be heroic, gingerly approaches the tower. The rubble moves under his feet and for a moment he's worried he'll fall, always having been quite clumsy in the past, but he presses up the slope it has made to what's left of the entrance to the structure. 

He's about to duck his head in and check for survivors but he almost falls backward, stunned by the guard who suddenly comes out from his hiding place. The guy looked awful, scared for life by what he had seen and Hiccup couldn't really blame him. He himself had sudden flashes back to Helgen and all the blood. So, so much blood.

He pushed that to the back of his mind because the man was trying to tell him and Irileth, who had followed Hiccup up the slope, something. "Get back! The dragon is still about!" He sounds like he wants to shout but is almost afraid that raising his voice too much will draw the dragon back. Come to think of it- Hiccup hadn't seen a dragon when they approached. The skies looked rather clear in the progressing afternoon. 

He was about to ask, press further and try to get more clear answers from the man, when the ground shakes and a thundering roar pierces the sky. Quickly Hiccup ducks into the tower's remains to take cover. Pressing his back to the closest wall but also far enough from the entrance. 

He's trying to be heroic, not brave. He was still rather scared. 

His heart raced and suddenly the armor that gave him confidence felt too heavy and too hot. He wanted to tear it off but he knew to do so was certain death.

The ground shook again and judging by the shouts of the guards outside it had landed. The poor guy from earlier was hunched over by the stairs and seemed to be praying. He assumed he should be doing the same if he wanted to live but where he came from they didn't worship any gods in particular. At least his family didn't anyway. 

Taking a breath, he made himself inch closer to the doorway and peer outside. 

The dragon didn't look very good himself. He was beaten and looked close to defeat but still he fought like he hadn't received a scratch and then took off to the air again. 

Now that he saw the dragon he realized it wasn't the same one from Helgen. The one from Helgen was black and much larger that this one was. The current one was large just not quite as big as the black one. No, this one was a pale red with brown undertones and had a different scale and horn pattern than the other one. 

If he was going to be heroic he needed to be brave. 

So he drew the sword that was given to him, an awkward weight in his hand but still useable, and went to join the other guards. At the moment they were trying to shoot arrows at it and he wasn't sure how they were able to actually shoot a moving target. Needless to say, he was rather impressed. 

It was short lived however when the dragon landed once more and he was forced into his back when one of the large wings flexed and pushed him over. Hiccup had the wind knocked out of him and struggled to regain it. He did his best, sitting up and gasping for air, eyes glued to the grisly scene before him. The other guards looked like they couldn't take much more and the dragon, though beaten down himself, knew this and kept going at them with his large claws and teeth. Hiccup knew he had to do something.

He formulated a quick though probably rather a dumb plan, reaching around in the burnt grass in search for the helmet that had fallen off his head when he fell. When he finally grabbed hold, he threw it with all the strength he could at the dragon to hopefully get his attention.

It not only worked, but it worked too well. The helmet hit the dragon's brow and it turned sharply to Hiccup, changing its attention from the guards to move to the brunette.

He panicked, he struggled to find his sword and the dragon was coming fast.

It happened all in a blur.

He found the sword and held it in front of him, scrambling to his feet just in time and barely managed to jump out of the way of the dragon's fire. The dragon seemed perplexed by how quick he had been and Hiccup was admittedly surprised as well. 

But he luckily recovered from the shock quicker than the dragon and managed to move behind its head, just past its side vision and with all his remaining might plunge the sword at an angle through the dragons head, down to the hilt. 

The dragon roared quite loudly and thrashed its head, knocking Hiccup back again though with more force than the wing had and he struggled to breathe. All he could do was lay there as the dragon struggled and eventually plopped quite ungracefully to the ground. 

Just before it had died, Hiccup had sworn he heard it say something. He wasn't sure what since his ears were ringing and he wasn't convinced he wasn't imagining it. 

He also wasn't sure if he was imagining the strange light or force or whatever that erupted from the dragon and surrounded him.

Hiccup didn't have much time to ponder it since after that his eyelids got quite heavy and a raging headache took over, soon passing out from the events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again I just wanna thank y'all for all the hits and kudos and all the support on tumblr!! It means so so much!! 
> 
> I waited a bit longer to write this chapter because j felt one right after the other was a lot really fast but I didn't wanna wait too long so here it is!!
> 
> Bleakfalls Barrow and Astrid are up next!!


	5. Heroic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup recovers and is given the quest for the Dragonstone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit more detailed than the other three. I’m not sure what happened to the first ones but I may have to rewrite it so everything fits right.

When he hit the ground he felt exhausted. So exhausted that if his bones could sleep they would. He was glad now that he could finally rest. Escaping Helgen and fighting the dragon had been such hard work. Hiccup felt like he more than deserved a nap in the grass outside the western watchtower.

Except it wasn’t that easy unfortunately.

The sky turned dark and twisted into an ugly gray and red color with swirling storm clouds, starting right over him and stretching out over Tamriel and then beyond. Dragons roared in the distance and close to him. Fire fell from the sky and it was all his fault. No matter how hard he tried to move he couldn’t. He couldn’t stop this, couldn’t fix the mess he had made.

Voices he recognized but couldn’t put a face to called him from all directions. One sounded desperate, one sounded scared, one sounded angry, one sounded resentful, a few sounded pleading, and through all of them there was one that rung out the loudest to him.

Her voice called his name.

She begged him to get up, that if he couldn’t do it for skyrim to do it for her, for his family.

But he couldn’t move. His body felt like it was encased in heavy irons that wouldn’t let him up. He tried to look for her but there was no one around. Just him. In a field. Alone.

The grass began to burn around him and he shivered. He felt cold, maybe he was dead. Maybe this was the opposite of sovernguard. He didn’t know what he had done but he knew this world ending event was because of him. He wasn’t heroic. He caused more trouble than he solved. He wasn’t brave. He was a coward. He was a failure.

He wanted to give up, but she kept on. Her voice wasn’t pleading like it had been. It sounded quiet and gentle. Something he didn’t always associate with her. She was hard and knew just the right ways to push to get him to keep going.

No, now he felt fingers in his hair. Soft spoken works he couldn’t quite make out and a warmth that surrounded his body. It was heavy but it was a comfortable heavy. Now he felt peaceful.

Maybe those who had died had to fight one last time to get to a peaceful afterlife.

The clouds withdrew and things grew dark. Everything got dark. He blinked to clear it because surely the afterlife wasn’t that dark. He always assumed there would at least be some light. Maybe some stars. But it remained dark.

He blinked and then blinked again. Still nothing. The fog in his mind didn’t clear either. What remained was her voice and the warmth.

In that moment he decided that if this was the afterlife then he didn’t want to leave. Though for some reason he kept blinking. He felt tired still but his body was wakening.

Blink after blink after blink and then something started coming into view. A wooden ceiling. Words he could actually make out soon followed. “Hey, easy, easy Hiccup.” Her voice was just as soft as the had she placed on his chest to keep him from moving too quickly.

As his eyes began to open he could make out more than just the wooden ceiling. Wooden walls went along with it and he could see her hand on his chest, laid gently on top of the furs on his chest.

The real world was so sudden and different from what must have been a dream that he takes in a sharp breath as if he’s been submerged in water for far too long.

“Easy, it’s okay. You’re okay Hiccup.” She says, running her fingers through his hair again and he leans into her touch. He blinks a few more times just to clear his vision and then he seeks her out. His vision follows from her finger tips to her hand to her wrist and then up her arm. From there to her neck then to her face and finally their eyes meet.

She looks like she hasn’t slept in days but she’s just as beautiful as the last time he saw her. “Astrid.” He tries to speak but his voice is hoarse and his throat his scratchy. He coughs just slightly to relieve the irritation.

“Hey,” she says softly, smiling just a little and she looks relieved to see he’s awake and okay.

Hiccup begins to try and recall what had happened before he blacked out.

Right.

The watchtower.

The dragon.

The strange light force that overtook him.

Now he was here, with her. He wasn’t sure where here was, maybe an infirmary or a guard house or maybe even the Jarl’s palace. He has questions and he begins with, “How-?” But he descends into a coughing fit and she has to help him sit up and when that doesn’t work right away she helps him drink a bit of water from a mug.

“I came to find you.” She explains when he gets settled, sitting up against the headboard, “or at least I tried before they sent my troop to scout out the remains of Helgen. We stopped here in Whiterun and then all these guards start rushing through the gates claiming someone had killed a dragon and absorbed its soul or something and I didn’t believe it especially not when I noticed they were carrying your body. I thought you were dead but they said you were still alive, but I was so worried-“ and from there her rant trails off. He was just glad to see her face. After everything that had happened he was happy she was there and that they were finally together.

—— —— ——

Maybe a day or so passed while he’s in recovery. Astrid doesn’t leave his side for a single second. She was there to keep him company, help him eat, help him drink, and made sure he went to sleep. There was no upkeep of treating wounds so he guessed that they had already healed while he was asleep or he hadn’t sustained any.

But he took care of her as much as she took care of him. Mostly that came in the form of refusing to eat or drink unless she did as well. She put up a fight but he was stubborn and eventually she gave in. He put up the same fight when she started dozing off and he insisted that she lay next to him for the evening.

And then the next day he was up and walking like nothing had happened to him.

As it turns out he was in the Jarl’s palace. The guards who stood watch gawked at him. He couldn’t figure out why until he remembered that he had killed a dragon. There was even word he had absorbed its soul or whatever that meant.

He'd learn soon enough. 

As soon as the Jarl had found him up and about he had told Hiccup that he had a job for him. Astrid, who stood loyally by his side, began to protest against it on Hiccup's behalf. She started to insist that he needed more time to recover but Hiccup felt fine, he felt like nothing had happened and he was ready to take on anything. What could the Jarl possibly need of him that was worse than fighting a dragon?

He was lead to Whiterun's court wizard, Astrid following close behind. She was more like his body guard and less like a concerned girlfriend. Gods knew he needed her either way. He wasn't annoyed by it, if anything he felt more confident with her by his side. 

"Farengar," the Jarl speaks the wizard's name as they enter the room just off the side of the castle's main hall, "I've got him. Perhaps he can help with your dragon project, go ahead and fill him in." And he claps Hiccup on the back before he leaves them. Hiccup swears there's an air of pride and respect coming from him. He can only assume it's because he killed a dragon and saved the city from being burned to ruins. Part of him is honored that he thinks he's some strong and brave man when in reality he was just a scared kid from Dawnstar. Though, maybe now it was time to make a name for himself. It was quite an opportunity laid at his feet. So perhaps that was his motivation for jumping into the next quest. 

Hiccup looks the wizard over, he seems to be deep into his research and might not have noticed the pair straight away. Though, he's surprised when the man begins to talk without looking up from the papers spread out before him, "So the Jarl thinks you can be of use to me?" He questions and looks up to analyze Hiccup. Hiccup tries to stand up straight and he casts a glance over to Astrid who seems board of the whole thing, standing with her weight on one foot and her arms crossed. Mimicking her relaxed stance, Hiccup tries to do the same while attempting to put some confidence into it. 

The wizard continues, "Well... yes, I could use something to fetch for me. When I say fetch of course I mean delve into a dangerous ruin in search of an ancient stone tablet that may or may not be there." 

"Wait a minute, you want to send us on some dangerous mission looking for something that might not even be there?" Astrid says as soon as he's done speaking. She's now more on the defensive side, unfolding her arms and advancing to the table the wizard is bent over. "That's ridiculous, you can't be serious." 

"'Us?'" Farengar challenges, "I was speaking to him. He is the one who killed the dragon." 

Astrid's glare could kill if she had that ability. Hiccup was just glad she didn't have we axe on her.

He to moves forward, looking down at the papers and putting a hand on Astrid's back to calm her. He knew she was trying to protect him but he was curious. 

"She's my partner, we work together and she'll be coming with me. Now, what does his have to do with dragons?" Hiccup asks, the papers meant nothing to him, they all looked like a mess but he didn't question the wizard's work process. 

Farengar huffs but quickly returns back to the topic and answers Hiccup, seemingly trying to avoid Astrid which only annoyed her more.

"I learned of a certain stone - a "dragonstone" - said to be housed in Bleakfalls Barrow," he points to a paper which depicts a map of the area around Riverwood. Hiccup takes note of the path that leads to the top of the mountain overlooking the village, "It's said to contain a map of dragon burial sites. Go there, retrieve it, and bring it back to me. Simple." 

Simple. As soon as he heard the word he knew Astrid was done being quite. It wasn't a word either of them really liked. There was always more to something than made out to seem. He hated it because he was curious, she hated it because she was cautious. 

"It can't be that easy. What's in the barrow?" She growls, and with a quick movement she's grabbed a knife from the table and stabbed it into the map and right on the circled location that was the barrow, embedding the blade into the wood.

Farengar is not phased in the slightest, Hiccup entertains the idea that maybe it's from dealing with various hasty guards or maybe even Irileth. The wizard merely clears his throat and goes on to provide what information he has on the place. 

"It's an old tomb built by ancient Nords. There's plenty of them scattered throughout Skyrim. It shouldn't be a big deal for a dragonslayer and his bodyguard." 

After that Hiccup decides it's time to leave before any bloodshed should happen. He grabs Astrid's arm and to his surprise she lets him guide her out. 

"Give us a day or two to properly prepare and we'll do it." Hiccup calls over his shoulder as they exit.


End file.
